For the first time this spring, Kentucky played tackle football. The ninth spring practice included a live scrimmage with about 30 snaps of 11-on-11. They also had some competitive one-on-ones and a two-minute drill in what football coaches describe as “thud.” Pads get popped, but no one is taken to the ground.

“I really liked the effort and the energy out there,” head coach Will Stein said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “We’re obviously nowhere near where we need to be, but I do feel like our guys have improved since day one, and we have some really good football players.”

The Kentucky head coach noted that they kept things pretty vanilla. He didn’t want to make the players think too much, just play football. It sounds like the defense got after it.

“I think Jay (Bateman)‘s got a great grip on that side, allowing these guys to go rush and affect the quarterback, which Jay is used to doing. I saw some PBUs, saw some sacks. There was some ball-in-jeopardy plays by our quarterbacks that would have probably been sack fumbles, which we obviously don’t want on offense, but on defense, it was really good to see and think those guys are understanding the scheme,” said Stein.

Balancing Fine Line of Physicality at RB

This is the first scrimmage of three this spring. Stein wanted to see physicality, but you can’t overdo it too early.

“You have to callous your body for contact, and if you just wait till the fall, I believe it’s too late. The best teams I’ve been a part of have been physical, and practices are physical, but there is a fine line,” said Stein.

That’s why two running backs, CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes, are not participating in contact portions of practice. Wide receiver Nic Anderson was also held out. The three have played a lot of football in between injuries. Stein has a good feel of what he’s going to get from them in the fall, so Kentucky isn’t going to put them in a situation to potentially get injured this spring. They’ve turned to Jason Patterson and safety Martels Carter to tote the rock out of the backfield. Will Carter move to running back full-time? That’s a decision for a later date.

“I think once the season gets here, we’ll really kind of settle in. Right now it’s, I want him to be comfortable coming to work every single day and still having the opportunity on both sides of the ball. But I think he sees like I see, he’s got a natural knack to play running back, so he’s not shying away from it,” said Stein.

Hear more of what the Kentucky head coach had to say after the Wildcats wrapped up week No. 3 of spring practice.

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